Emperor Mingze

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Jiang Yanchuan 3 4
Alias(es)	Emperor Mingze (明泽帝); “Beautiful Imperial Father,” as Jiang Yingcheng affectionately calls him 1 11
Gender	Male 1
Affiliation	Great Rui imperial court 2 37
Occupation/Role	Emperor of Great Rui; military ruler 2 3
Status	Alive in the supplied storyline; suffering from overwork-related illness and warned of a future poisoning 2 4 41
First Appearance	Arrives during Jiang Huai’an’s confrontation with Jiang Xingran 1

Background / History

Mingze is described by System 007 as the youngest emperor in Great Rui’s history. In its account of the original storyline, his sixteen-year reign triples the country’s territory and profoundly influences later generations. His achievements are accompanied by a reputation for harsh methods and vicious treatment of prisoners of war, leaving his legacy equally praised and condemned 2.

He has fought for years and is particularly feared for interrogation methods that make prisoners wish for death. His recent campaigns also place a heavy burden on the population: taxes are already extremely high after repeated warfare over the preceding two years 3 44.

Before Jiang Yingcheng’s revelations, Mingze has already appointed the empress’s son as crown prince. Nevertheless, supporters of the fourth prince remain active, backed by the influential Pan family. Mingze has long wanted to move against that family but lacks sufficient evidence to act safely against its deeply rooted connections 9 49.

Foretold Fate

• Illness and poisoning: Yingcheng’s thoughts state that Mingze will die of poisoning in three years. Her description of his overwork and declining health matches the imperial physicians’ assessments 2 4.
• Hidden perpetrator: 007 identifies an enemy general as the poisoner and Jiang Huai’an as the person who enables his entry into the palace. Mingze cannot hear 007 directly, so this explanation is not automatically available to him 2.
• Succession crisis: Yingcheng predicts that Huai’an will attempt to force him from the throne, that the story’s male lead will seize power and nearly ruin Great Rui, and that Jiang Xingran will eventually reclaim the throne and restore the country 4.
• Intervention: Rather than treating these outcomes as inevitable, Mingze begins reconsidering the princes’ upbringing and investigating the threats disclosed through Yingcheng 4 9.

Appearance

• Face: Exceptionally handsome, with sword-like brows, star-like eyes, a high, straight nose, and sharply defined features 1 9.
• Bearing: His casual presence exerts overwhelming pressure, reflecting his established authority as sovereign 1.
• First-seen clothing: A black cloud-brocade robe embroidered with a nine-clawed golden dragon, partly covered by a dark blue cloak 1.
• Physical resemblance: Jiang Xingran resembles him in both facial features and icy demeanor; the physician’s examination prompts a comparison to a miniature Mingze 4.
• Scent: Yingcheng notices his ambergris fragrance when he carries her 39.

Personality

Mingze is controlled, observant, and difficult to read. Even after hearing predictions of his own death, he maintains a composed exterior. He initially considers hearing a child’s thoughts absurd and insists on verifying their accuracy through physical evidence before trusting them 2 4.

His calmness can be more frightening than anger. When Lu Yao reports Liu Zhengqing’s extensive crimes, Mingze receives the news with a relaxed posture and faint smile, unsettling the commander. He also conceals suspicion behind courtesy, publicly thanking Liu for his work while privately arranging a thorough investigation 6 9 13.

His treatment of Yingcheng reveals an unusually tender side. Noble Consort Rou, accustomed to his coldness even toward Jiang Huai’an, is alarmed to see him soothing the crying princess. He welcomes her gifts, carries her through court, and makes room for her beside him during official meetings 11 22 28 39.

His earlier indifference to inner-palace affairs has allowed Rou to dominate other households. By contrast, he shows practical consideration for his officials, providing winter shelter and allowing them to wait inside the heated court hall 22 37.

Abilities & Skills

Hearing Jiang Yingcheng’s Thoughts

Mingze can hear Yingcheng’s unspoken inner voice, gaining information she does not knowingly disclose to him 1 3.

• Discovery: He first hears her admiration of his appearance followed by a warning about his early death 1.
• Verification: He orders a search after hearing about a lost cuff button; its discovery confirms the specific clue she supplied 2.
• Applications: Her thoughts provide leads concerning corruption, palace abuse, enemy infiltrators, and future succession dangers 4 5 22 25 37.
• Proposed condition: He concludes that listeners must share mutual affection with Yingcheng. Her liking Jiang Xingran is initially insufficient because Xingran does not reciprocate 7.
• Limit: He hears Yingcheng’s side of her exchanges, not 007’s voice 2.
• Secrecy: He instructs listeners not to reveal their ability to people who cannot hear her, and redirects court discussion when Gao Siyuan nearly exposes the secret 42 45.

Martial Ability

Mingze is a martial practitioner with years of wartime experience 3 5.

• During an assassination attempt the month before the opening events, he personally drives a sword through the attacker’s abdomen 31.
• The wounded attacker, later identified as Ji Xiangyang, survives and remains hidden within the palace 31 33.

Investigation and Court Control

Mingze combines Yingcheng’s revelations with formal inquiries rather than relying solely on supernatural information 2 9 13.

• Covert intelligence: Uses the Embroidered Uniform Guard to inspect public works, investigate officials, and infiltrate Pan Jifeng’s residence 9.
• Character assessment: Orders checks into officials’ private conduct, including Pu Yuanzhou’s suspected mistress 13.
• Maintaining order: Ends an escalating dispute between military and civil officials with a signal for silence 37.
• Information gathering: Arranges contact between Yingcheng and senior officials; a teaching assistant later reports her classroom revelations to him 39 48.

Relationships

• Jiang Yingcheng — His publicly recognized eleventh princess and an increasingly cherished companion. Her concealed identity as a substituted child is not shown to have been disclosed to him 8 23. He accepts her affection, protects her place at court, and personally supervises her first lessons 39 41.
• Jiang Xingran — His seventh son, whom Yingcheng identifies as Great Rui’s future restorer. Mingze initially postpones additional care so Yingcheng has time to improve their relationship 4 9.
• Jiang Huai’an — His fourth son. Yingcheng exposes his framing of Xingran and foretells further cruelty and an attempted seizure of power 3 4 22.
• Fang Siwan / Consort Wan — His consort and Yingcheng’s adoptive mother. She admits that she can hear the princess’s thoughts but conceals the information concerning Jinshu; after their private discussion, her rank rises three levels 23.
• Pan Jingwan / Noble Consort Rou — His consort and Huai’an’s mother. Her influence is shaken when Mingze removes her son from her residence and disregards her collapse 22 23.
• Eunuch Changshun — His longtime chief eunuch and attendant. Both hear Yingcheng’s thoughts; Mingze’s awareness of Changshun’s forewarned poisoning confirms that the emperor shares this knowledge 3 7.
• Lu Yao — Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and executor of Mingze’s investigations. He gradually recognizes the connection between the emperor’s unusual assignments and Yingcheng’s revelations 9 13 25.
• Lin Jinshu — A prospective study companion whom Mingze recognizes as the future ruler described in Yingcheng’s thoughts. His visible hostility toward her makes Mingze suspicious of his suitability 40 41.
• Pan Jifeng — Rou’s father and Huai’an’s maternal grandfather. Mingze orders undercover surveillance of his residence 9.
• Yuan Liangping — An official serving concurrently as a teaching assistant, tasked with reporting Yingcheng’s revelations until her teacher can hear them independently 48.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Discovery of the Inner Voice

• Arrives while Huai’an is bullying Xingran over Yingcheng’s injury and hears the princess’s unexpected thoughts about his death 1.
• Tests her knowledge by ordering the snow searched for the culprit’s cuff button 2.
• Has Ying Feng take Huai’an away for questioning and sends the injured Xingran for examination 4.
• Recognizes that Yingcheng’s apparent access to hidden deeds and future events could reduce the difficulty of governing 3 4.

Initial Corruption Investigations

Target	Mingze’s response	Documented result or lead
Moat repairs / Zhang Ding’an	Orders Lu Yao to determine whether the embankment was repaired with worked or raw soil 9.	Yingcheng alleges embezzlement and unsuitable loose soil that could cause a breach during the following year’s rains 5.
Liu Zhengqing	Authorizes a comprehensive investigation after hearing accusations involving nine hundred thousand taels 5 9.	Lu Yao uncovers numerous crimes, including selling offices and titles 13.
Pan family	Sends agents undercover into Pan Jifeng’s residence 9.	Later classroom revelations connect the family to lethal scapegoating and Gu Yurou’s arrival in the capital 49.
Officials’ private conduct	Assigns inquiries concerning Hu Hongyuan, Pu Yuanzhou, and Zheng Zhixin 13.	The assignments follow Yingcheng’s comments about their domestic circumstances and concealed activities 12 13.

Intervention in Palace Affairs

• Comforts the injured Yingcheng while confronting Rou and Huai’an 22.
• Orders Huai’an moved to Consort Yan’s residence, despite desperate objections from mother and son 22 23.
• Hears that Huai’an will later push the eighth prince into a pond and obstruct his rescue, prompting an immediate darkening of his expression 22.
• Privately questions Consort Fang about Yingcheng’s revelations; their discussion is followed by Fang’s promotion to Consort Wan and relocation to a larger residence 23.

Tutor Selection and Infiltration Threats

• Prepares a seat for Yingcheng in Wuyang Hall and discusses candidates for her tutor with senior officials 24 25.
• Hears her concern that top scholar Weng Zizhen has been replaced by Su Hongzhen, the Northern Frontier’s second prince. Lu Yao reports the same suspicion but lacks conclusive evidence 24 25.
• Receives a portion of a Great Tonic Pill from Yingcheng, presented as a snack, and eats it despite hearing that it is only a modest tonic 28.
• Authorizes Lu Yao to seek Yingcheng’s help with another inquiry, providing a handwritten letter for Changshun 34.

Yingcheng’s Attendance at Court

• Brings Yingcheng into Chongyun Hall and seats her behind a specially prepared screen 37.
• After hearing information about suspected Eastern Li agent Gu Yurou, orders the duke’s estate surrounded to prevent escape 37 38.
• Rejects Bi Honglang’s attempt to prohibit the princess from attending court, then carries her into the confidential inner court meeting 38 39.
• Strips Qian Pengyi of office after his protection of the Prince of Nanyang’s heir is exposed, while refraining from the harsher punishment the deception could invite 40.

Education and Continued Intelligence Gathering

• Recognizes Lin Jinshu as a potential future threat but allows Yingcheng’s wishes to shape the study-companion arrangement 41.
• Has Liu Hongfei begin lessons immediately and moves his memorials nearby so he can work while personally supervising the children 41.
• Protects the secret of the audible thoughts when Gao Siyuan uses Yingcheng’s information to expose Qu Kaiyu’s bribery and hidden government silver 45.
• Continues receiving classroom intelligence through Yuan Liangping, including potential evidence against the Pan family 48 49.

Notable Quotes

“I intend to bring Yingcheng to court with me. What will you do about it?” 39

“Investigate everything.” — His instruction concerning Liu Zhengqing 9